Delivery box signal



Nov. 6,1951

WITNESS W. E. SEIBEL DELIVERY BOX SIGNAL Filed March 14, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 6, 1951 STATE 'Z Claims.

invention relates to signal devices for mailboxes and the like and to the method of con- 'structing the signals.

f1 One of the. objects of my invention is to provideleayisimple and efficient signal device for a mailbox; which is operated by the door of the box: I 1

g'Another object of my invention is to provide a signal device =which'may be readily installed in any mailbox. Y a -Another object of my invention is to provide a signaltdevice constructed from an elongated rod hallingtheends thereof disposed laterally of the rqd-sandj-havinga spring fastened thereto and cooperating with the box to position the signal. r Anotherobjectof my invention is to provide the-,method of constructing theelongated rod and-th s i ,g Qthc iyobiects and a fuller understanding of the -inv ention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in con- S PATENT OFFICE DELIVERY Box AL I William E. S eibel, Brecksville, Qhio' Application March 14, 1949, Serial No'i81,329

junctionwith the accompanying drawing, in

..-;Figure l-is-a perspective View of a standard mailbox havingm gsignal device mounted there- ;Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating-the mounting of the elongated rod in the back wall ofthe'box; and I -ligure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the-constructing-of the spring on the elongated rod A t-,.

In Figure 1 of my drawing; I illustrated a, standard rural type-mailbox Iflhaving side wall lI-and a back wall or end wall I2. The-back 1 or end wall I2 is on one end of the mailbox I0 and a door I3 is hingedl'y fastened to the other end of the mailbox III. Although-I describe my, invention as being applied to mailboxes and illustrate a particular style mailbox,'it isunderstood that the term mailbox is used to include any type box designed to receive articles. y

-My signal device includes anelongatedrod I4 having laterally extending latch end portion I5 and asig'nal supporting end portion I6. In this particular instanceJ have found itadvisable to extend-both the latch end portion I5 and the signal endportion I6 laterally of the elongated rod.I4- and also at an angle to each other.- The elongated rod extends through an opening I1 I in theback-wall I2 of the mailbox -III with the ing support member I8 fastened to the side wall -II 'by a screw I9 supports the elongated rod I4 near the latch end portion "I5ii'thereof. The elongated rod I4 extends substantially parallel to the side wall II. A spring 20 has one end 22 thereof extending through a hole 2I in the elongated rod I4 and an opposite end 23 thereof extending outwardly from the elongated rod I4 and engaging the side wall I I of the box I0. This spring is preferably a coiled spring to provide spring force sufficient to turn the elongated rod I4 and hold it in the position indicated in the solid lines of Figures 1 and 2. The opposite end 23 of the spring 20 also engages the back wall I2 of the box. I have provided a washer or flange means -24 engagingthe elongated rod I4 on the outside of the back wall I2 to space the signal end portion -IB-'from the back wall I2. The spring 20' urges the elongated rod I4- towards the front:"ofthe box, thus holding the washer 24 against thefback of the box prevent water entern the opening 1 a ..;;In manufacturingmy signal device I have found it economical and eificient to place the elongated rod in a'chuck 2 5, as illustrated in Figurer3. Ihe endof a wire having spring properties is extendedthrough the hole 2| and the elongated :rod I-4 rotated by the chuck 25 to coil the spring 20 thereon. In this manner the spring is-constructed andformed on the elongated rod or which it .-will remain.- After the spring has been formed on the elongated rod,the ends are bent topform the latch end portion I5 and the s-ignal-endrportion I6.. The washer 24 is then slippdoventhe signal'end portion I6 and a signal plate 26 fastened .to the signal end portionIIiQN v 1 signaldevice is mounted on the box I0 by. inserting theelongated rod I4 through the opening I'Lin the back-wall I2 and working the spring 20 into the box. The elongated rod I4 i s-then rotated to tighten the spring 20. After the spring Zll has been-tightened, the bearing support member I'8 may be fastened'to the side wall II by-meansof the screw I9 to support the elongated rod in parallel alignment with the side wall eThe latch end portion I5 abuts the side wall It to prevent the elongated rod I4 spinning and thus releasing the tension in the spring 20. l ghaveprovided the door I3 on the inside thereof with a catch 2'! aligned for engagement by the latch end portion I5. In Figure 1, I illustra-ted in phantom the position of the elongated rod;I4 with the latchendportion I5 engaging the' catch Z'Igwhen-the door is closed.

As soon as the door is opened, the latch end portion becomes disengaged from the catch 21 and the spring turns the elongated rod [4 to raise the signal plate 28 into the position illustrated in solid lines in Figure 1.

The signal device is reset after the door of the mailbox has been closed by simply rotating the signal plate 26 into the position illustrated by the phantom lines of Figure 1. During this rotation, the elongated rod will inove'endwise towards the back wall ii! of the box to permit the latch end portion 15 to ride over the catch 2! and into latching engagement therewith.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred formha-s, been madev only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespir-it and thelscope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

-What is claimed is:

l. A delivery box comprising, a housing including a side wall, an end wall and a delivery receiving door, a rod journaled in said end wall and extending therethrough and outside of said housing, a signal carried by said rod externally of said housing, spring means interengaging said side wall and said rod and urging said rod to rotate in said end wall, and releasable means cooperative with said door and said rod'and restraining rotation of said rod when the door is closed and releasing and thereby permitting rotatirx-n 0 r? i qd when the: d r is: (\noherL 2. A signal device for a mailbox having a side wall with an end Wall fastened to one end thereofand a door hinged'to the other end thereof, said signal device comprising, a turnable elongatedrod extending through the end wall and Supported in parallel alignment with said side asignal carried by said elongated rod externally of said mailbox, and spring means connected to said rod and engageable with the said side wall to turn the rod when the door is opened,

said elongated rod and said door having cooperating means preventing turning of the elongated'rod by the spring-means when the door is closed.

' 3. A signal device for a mailbox having a side wail with an endwall fastened to one end there, ofand a door hinged to the other end thereof, said signal device comprising, a turnable elongated rod extending through the end wall and supported in parallel alignment with said side wall, a signal carried by'said elongated rod externally of said mailbox, spring means connected to said rod and engageable with the said side wall to turn the rod when the'door is opened, said elongated rod having a lateral end portion, and a catch fastened to said door and engageable by the lateral end portion of the rod to prevent the spring turning the rod while the door is closed.

i. Asignal for a mail box having an end wall,

a side wall, and a front door on the mail box movable to open and closed positions, said signal comprising an arm member having a main portion and first and second end portions, said first and second end portions being disposed at an angle to said main portion, means for journaling said main portion and said first end portion inside said mail box, a spring adapted to rotate said main portion relative to said mail box, and a visual signal fiag mounted to said second end portion outside said mail box and rotatable 4 therewith, said first end portion adapted to be disposed inside the mail box and to be held against rotation by latch means operated by said lront'door and releasable by the opening of said door.

5. A signal for a mail box having an end wall, a side wall, and a front door on the mail box movable to open and closed positions, said signal comprising a rod having a main portion and first and second end portions, said first and second end portions being short relative to said main portion and each being disposed substantially perpendicular to said main portioma bearing bracket journaling said main portion near said first end portion and adapted to be attached to the inside of the side wall of said mail box, a spiral torsion spring having first and second ends and wound about said rod main portion, said spring first end being fastened to said rod and saidspring second end adapted to abut the side wall of said mail box, said'main portion adapted to be journaledin an opening in the end wall of saidmail box, and a visual signal flag mounted to said second end portion outside said mail box in a plane parallel to said end wall and rotatable to an upper position above said mail box, said first end portion adapted to be disposed inside of the mail box and to abut said side wall under the torsional urging of said spring, saidxrod being manually rotatable substantially 180 to a cooked position against the torsional urging of-said spring so that said visual signal is hidden behind said mail box with said first end portion being disposed to engage a latch carried by'the front door of said mailbox in the closed position of said door, said first end portion being disposed to be disengaged by said latch when the front door of the mail box is in the open position to permit said torsional urge of said spring to rotate said visual signal to said upper position whereby it is visible from the front of the mail box l 6. A received mail signal for a mail box having an end wall, a side wall, and a front door hinged at the bottom thereof to the mail box, said received mail signal comprising a rod having a main portion and first and second end portions; said first and second end portions beingshort relative to said main portion and each being dis posed substantially perpendicular to said main portion, a bearing bracket journaling said main portion near said first end portion and adapted to be attached to the inside of the side wall of said mail box, said main portion having a hole, a spiral torsion and compression spring having first and second ends and wound about i said rod main portion, said spring first end being fastened in said hole to turn with said rod and said spring second end adapted to abut the side wall and end wall of said mail box, a collar fastened to said rod near said second end portion, said main portion adapted to be journaled in an opening in the end wall of said mail box with said spring axially compressed between said hole and said end wall to urge said collar into engagement with the exterior of said end wall, and a visual signal flag mounted to said second end portion outside said mail box in a plane perpendicular to said main portion and rotatable to an upper position above said mail box, said first end portion adapted to be disposed just inside the front of the mail box and toabut said side wall underthe torsional urging of said spring, said rod being manually rotatable substantially l to a cooked position against the torsional urging of said spring so that said visual signal is'hidde'n behind said'mail box with said first end portion being disposed to engage a latch carried by the front door of said mail box in the closed position of said door, said first end portion being disposed to be disengaged by said latch when the front door of the mail box is in the open position to permit said torsional urge of said spring to rotate said visual signal to said upper position whereby it is visible from the front of the mail box.

7. A received mail signal for a mail box having a vertical end wall, a side wall, and a vertical front door hinged on a horizontal axis at the bottom thereof to the mail box, said received mail signal comprising a rod having a main portion and first and second end portions, said main portion having a length substantially equal to the length of said mail box from the door to the end wall thereof, said first and second end portions being short relative to said main portion and each being disposed substantially perpendicular to said main portion, said first and second end portions being disposed in planes which contain the axis of the said main portion and which are substantially mutually perpendicular, a bearing bracket journaling said main portion near said first end portion and adapted to be attached to the inside of the side wall of said mail box, said main portion having a hole, a spiral torsion and compression spring having first and second 7 6 pressed between said urge said collar into engagement with the exterior of said end wall, and a visual signal flag mounted to said second end portion outside said mail box ends and wound about said rod main portion,

wall of said mail box with said spring axially comin a plane perpendicular to said main portion and rotatable to an upper position above said mail box, said first end portion adapted to be disposed just inside the front of the mail box and to abut said side wall under the torsional urging of said spring, said rod being manually rotatable substantially to a cocked position against the torsional urging of said spring so that said visual signal is hidden behind said mail box with said first end portion being disposed to engage a latch carried by the front door of said mail box in the closed position of said door, said first end portion being disposed to be disengaged by said latch when the front door of the mail box is in the open position to permit said torsional urge of said spring to rotate said visual signal to said upper position whereby it is visible from the front of the mail box.

WILLIAM E. SEIBEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 692,178 Burnham Jan. 28, 1902 884,964 Voss Apr. 14, 1908 1,564,305 Fanders Dec. 8, 1925 1,628,034 De Mier May 10, 1927 1,814,941 Lutz July 14, 1931 2,095,599 Gleason et a1 Oct. 12, 1937 2,137,712 Bratz Nov. 22, 1938 hole and said end wall to- 

